1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to handheld dehiders and powered skinning knives used to remove the hide of a carcass in a meat processing facility. More particularly, the present invention relates to dehiders that use a pair of blades that are rotatably driven in opposite directions on a common blade axis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Handheld dehider tools are commonly used in meat processing facilities to remove the hide from an animal carcass. A common type of dehider tool includes a pair of adjacent cutting blades that are driven in opposed cutting oscillations about a common blade axis by a pneumatic motor and drive mechanism. The cutting blades each have teeth around an outer perimeter. As the blades oscillate, the teeth on one blade move past the teeth on the adjacent and oppositely moving blade. This produces a shearing and cutting action for removing the hide from the carcass. Examples of such dehider tools can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,368,560, 5,122,092, and 8,047,901.
Another dehider tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,451, which includes a pair of adjacent cutting blades rotatably driven in opposed cutting rotations about a common blade axis by a pneumatic motor and drive mechanism. The cutting blades in the '451 patent have teeth around an outer perimeter. As the blades rotate in opposite directions, the teeth on one blade move past the teeth on the adjacent and oppositely moving blade to produce a shearing and cutting action.
Exising dehider tools suffer from poor hand-tool performance and unsatisfactory interchangeable parts. The toothed cutting blades also suffer from a loss of energy through harmonic vibration and friction, particularly at high operating speeds. This reduces the value of the workforce and may create health concerns for the person performing the task.
There is a need in the industry for an improved handheld dehider tool and blades therefor that overcome the problems with the prior art mentioned above.